Mortal Kombat X notably introduced a new generation of fighters to the long running series -- but it also executed more than a dozen klassic kombatants! Many prominent franchise icons were added to a death toll begun with the 2011 reboot -- but will they remain dead?

For every revenant that returned to life, NetherRealm put two more in the morgue! As we begin to think about what's next, we're revisiting the major fatalities that occurred in the Mortal Kombat X Story Mode - and its tie-in comic books! Read on and join the speculation about each kombatant's fate on the forums!

It's been four years since Mortal Kombat X was first announced and unveiled at E3 2014!

Along with a couple of series favourites; initial previews thrust a mysterious new generation of fighters into the spotlight. Their stories were told in MKX, a mobile game, comic book tie-ins, and the expanded edition of Mortal Kombat XL. A couple of franchise legends even made the leap into Injustice 2 in time for last year's 25th Anniversary celebration!

At every step of the way, MK Online has invited fans all over the world to take stock of characters new and old. This year our annual tradition is turning our attention towards the future of the series! We're thinking about what happened last, and what will happen next, while asking the eternal question: Who is the Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion?

You'll decide the answer as the ultimate fan voting tournament returns to Mortal Kombat Online for another year! We're inviting every fan to make their voice heard in the Fan Koliseum as we speculate about the future of the series! Read on to learn more about the ins and outs of this year's unique tournament! Keep scrolling for regularly updated results and links to each battle!

The future of non-playable character cameos in the Mortal Kombat series may be in doubt as the impact of persistent fan outcry within NetherRealm Studios comes to light.

Mortal Kombat X Sound Designer Brian Chard has been sharing his unique perspective with inquisitive fans, revealing aggressive interest in inaccessible fighters may have had a negative effect on the powers that be: "... [You] should know that those who complained about NPCs pretty much convinced Ed not to have em in future games."

When asked to clarify which types of NPC he believed are in danger, Chard pointed to in-game opponents and story mode cut scene cameos: "The impression I got was both, when it comes to potential roster chars (i.e., Outworld Soldier #2 is still safe)."

Both types of non-playable character drew significant attention from fans who've been trained to expect post-release additions through downloadable content channels. Remarkably, decisions relating to DLC have been largely disconnected from in-game appearances - an otherwise natural method for building anticipation for subsequent releases. Of the eight DLC characters, only one of each NPC type was included: Tanya, who appeared as an NPC opponent, and Bo' Rai Cho - a minor player in story FMVs.

Far from condemning his colleagues, Chard questions the quality of discourse from fans quick to attack the developer studio: "I think it's stupider of people who complained about them not being playable and called us lazy." With regards to characters who appear in NPC fights, he explains: "Just so everyone understands: It's a long way from fightable to playable." Characters who appear as NPCs may otherwise have missed out all together. On fan desire, Chard adds: "... it shows us how well received the original game was, which is nice."

"Lazy" has become an unfairly frequent catchall phrase for fans dissatisfied with perceived inconsistencies in the NetherRealm and Warner Brothers' approach. The substitution of personal preference in place of legitimate critique often downplays the work of artists and developers contributing to the marathon of a finished product. Malicious attacks and demands through social media - among the most egregious examples of fan ignorance.

Of course, no game is immune from criticism, and NPC kombatants have played an awkward role in the life of Mortal Kombat X. Invasion Mode appeared to suffer for the absence of existing and new character assets [read more]. Expectations for a character like Fujin: as much a consequence of the decision to reboot the series in 2011, as his consolation appearance in story mode sequences. Mortal Kombat X draws considerable inspiration from 1997's Mortal Kombat 4 - which introduced the character in a playable capacity.

Will they or won't they? That's been the question surrounding additional downloadable content for Mortal Kombat X. A poll posted by NetherRealm Creative Director Ed Boon asked fans what they'd like to see the studio develop next - and it's DLC that is still dominating fans minds!

Hot on the heels of an all male poll [full story]; Mortal Kombat X Creative Director Ed Boon has asked fans which female kombatant they missed most from the best selling tenth installment.

The four character Twitter poll produced a closer race between options, with 1,334 more votes registered than the initial query. Jade was an unsurprising winner with 37%, often commanding a highly motivated cult following. 2011 DLC fighter Skarlet was a more surprising second with 27% of the vote.

One year on from the record release of Mortal Kombat X; NetherRealm Studios Creative Director Ed Boon has polled fans on the controversial subject of absentee characters.

Using a Twitter poll: Boon asked which character fans missed the most, isolating his options to just four characters. With a 45% majority, Noob Saibot was the overwhelming winner. Popularly requested cult favourite Rain came second with 22%.

Last December, NetherRealm Studios unveiled their latest free-to-play app: WWE Immortals! The partnership between NRS, Phosphor Games, and the wrestling giant meant an interesting meshing of style and subject matter!

With Johnny Cage jumping into the ring as a guest fighter in Immortals, we've been thinking about how Cage might come to blows with WWE - but what about the other way around?

World Wrestling Entertainment has been a powerhouse in its current incarnation since the mid-eighties. Its lineage goes even further back, tapping into the traditions and culture of a century of professional wrestling! Today, WWE runs at least 6 hours of original content every week, on an unending cycle year after year. There's a lot to learn from that, and we've narrowed it down to five key things the makers of Mortal Kombat could consider after their brush with WWE!